page_title: Planned French invasion of Britain (1708)
section_title: The Expedition
hierarchical_section_title: Planned French invasion of Britain (1708) / The Expedition
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Combat de la Confiance, commandée par Robert Surcouf, et du Kent, le 7 octobre 1800English: Fight between the French Confiance (Robert Surcouf) and the Kent
context_page_description: The Planned French Invasion of Britain, 1708, also known as the 'Entreprise d’Écosse,' took place during the War of the Spanish Succession. The French planned to land 5,000-6,000 soldiers in North-East Scotland to support a rising by local Jacobites, that would restore James Francis Edward Stuart to the throne of Great Britain.
  Despite French commander Claude de Forbin warning the chances of evading the Royal Navy long enough to land his troops were extremely limited, his fleet of small privateers reached Scotland in March 1708. As he had forecast, he was unable to disembark the troops and returned home, narrowly escaping a pursuing British naval force.
  Such attempts reflected a fundamental and continuing divergence of objectives; while the Stuarts wanted to regain their throne, for the French, they were a simple and low-cost way to absorb British resources. Much of the Royal Navy was occupied chasing de Forbin, while troops were diverted from Ireland and Southern England. This made it successful for France, but a failure for the Jacobites.
context_section_description: As the Royal Navy patrolled exits from the French Channel ports, naval operations often took place during the winter months, when wind and tides made it harder to enforce a blockade. However, it also increased risks from the weather; conditions off North-East Scotland were well-known to French privateers and de Forbin's biggest concern was lack of a confirmed landing place. He later recorded 'the Minister did not mention any port in a condition to receive us, ...or where our fleet might anchor and... troops disembark in safety.'
  Based on information supplied by French captains, de Forbin told Pontchartrain and Louis XIV the expedition had no chance of success, but planning continued. The fleet assembled at Dunkirk, a major privateer base for centuries, since ships could reach the Thames in a single tide, allowing them to reach as far north as the Orkney Islands. By the end of February, 5,000 - 6,000 troops were ready to embark, joined by James himself on 9 March.
  Rather than slow-moving transports, de Forbin insisted on using a larger number of small but fast privateers, many of which reduced their crews and offloaded guns to accommodate the troops. While this improved their chances of avoiding the Royal Navy, they could not hope to defeat them in a naval battle.
  The British had been monitoring French preparations, and a squadron under Sir George Byng now arrived off the nearby port of Gravelines. This prevented the French departure and since James was ill with measles, the troops were disembarked while he recovered. After a week, Byng returned to port for resupply; James and the soldiers were re-loaded, and on 17 March the French force of 30 privateers and five warships left Dunkirk.
  Although their departure was immediately delayed by a two day gale, it forced Byng to take shelter, enabling the French to make for the Firth of Forth. Rather than following the coastline, de Forbin kept out to sea to avoid being spotted, and ended up north of the proposed landing site. On 25 March, the French anchored near Fife Ness, then spent the next day searching for a landing place, allowing Byng to catch up with them. Despite James' protests, the French privateers could not face the British in battle and headed north; they then spent two days attempting to enter the Moray Firth before giving up. Most of them made it back to Dunkirk, despite being pursued by the British around the north of Scotland and west of Ireland, but sustained severe damage to both ships and men.
  Hearing news of the French fleet, some of the Jacobite gentry, including James Stirling of Keir House and four others, gathered at Brig o' Turk. They were arrested, imprisoned in Newgate Prison in London, then later transferred to Edinburgh Castle where they were tried for high treason. They were acquitted of this charge, as the evidence against them proved only that they had drunk to James' health.
caption: Merchant ship (left), battling a much smaller privateer (right); these small but fast vessels formed the bulk of Claude de Forbin's fleet
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